Moldova and Transdniestria sign protocol on free movement of citizens

VIENNA, February 28. /ITAR-TASS/. Moldova and its breakaway region of Transdniestria on Friday signed a protocol that guarantees freedom of movement to the residents of the unrecognized republic, Radoiko Bogojevic, special representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, said on Friday after the “5+2” negotiations (Moldova, Transdniestria, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe/OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and observers from the European Union and the United States) in Vienna.

He added that the protocol which had been signed guaranteed foreign passport holders residing in Transdniestria the right to cross the administrative border with Moldova unhindered.

He explained that the move had been prompted by Moldova’s decision to establish migration control on the administrative border with Transdniestria at the request of the European Union with which it is holding negotiations for liberalization of the visa regime.

Nina Stanski, the then foreign minister of Transdniestria, warned that the republic might toughen its stance at the Vienna talks because the migration control would restrict the freedom of movement for Transdniestria’s residents most of whom hold Russian and Ukrainian passports.

Bogojevic told a news conference held jointly with representatives of Moldova and Transdniestria that the negotiations were complicated because the relations between Moldova and Transdniestria had aggravated and tensions were up in the security zone of the Transdniestrian conflict.

Stanski, in turn, added the disruption of talks in Vienna had been avoided at the last minute.